Navigating social interactions is a critical part of elementary education. As educators, it’s our responsibility to guide students in understanding the value of inclusion, kindness, and empathy. The Inviting Others to Play Sorting Worksheet offers a practical and engaging way to discuss these concepts with young learners. Inclusive play ensures that every child feels seen, valued, and included, regardless of their backgrounds or abilities.
Introducing the “Inviting Others to Play” Activity
This activity is designed to help students differentiate between kind and unkind ways of inviting others to play. Using a word bank of scenarios, students will sort examples into columns, fostering discussions about empathy and inclusivity.
How It Works
- Scenario-Based Learning: The worksheet presents different playground or classroom scenarios where one child is inviting another to play.
- Discussion and Reflection: The activity is a starting point for discussions on why certain behaviors are considered kind or unkind and how we can be more inclusive.
Implementing the Activity in Your Classroom
Use this worksheet in your daily classroom routine to support your students’ social skills development. Reinforce these skills through follow-up discussions, role-playing activities, or personal reflection.
- Group Discussions: Encourage open conversations about the activity’s outcomes and what students learned from the scenarios.
- Role-Playing: Try role-playing different scenarios to practice inclusive behavior.
- Personal Reflection: Have students reflect on their own experiences with inclusion or times they felt left out and how they can apply what they’ve learned to be more inclusive.
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Conclusion
There is significant value in teaching elementary students about inviting others to play through this interactive and insightful worksheet. Be sure to incorporate this lesson before playtime or recess to reinforce the skills you want to see from your students. Together, let’s build classrooms with a foundation of kindness, inclusion, and empathy.
Sample Video
Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video lesson. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 14 days here!
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